Take a moment to celebrate respect on Lag B'Omer in Montana

May 3, 2018, world Jewry is celebrating Lag B’Omer, the 33rd day of the Omer count, which began on the second day of Passover and will culminate on Shavuot, the Feast of Weeks, when we reach day 50. It’s not of biblical origin like Passover or Yom Kippur, it’s not as amusing as Chanukah or Purim, yet, it’s an invaluable part of Jewish tradition that should be a source of guidance to all of humanity.

The reason for this celebration is twofold: Firstly, Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai (80-160 CE), who was first to openly teach Jewish mysticism, Kabbalah, and is the author of its classic text, Zohar, passed away on this day. On the day of his passing, Rabbi Shimon instructed his pupils to mark the date as “the day of my joy.” The spiritual masters explain that the final day of a righteous person’s earthly life marks the moment at which all their activities and wisdoms achieve their culminating perfection and the zenith of their impact upon our lives. So, each Lag B’Omer, we celebrate Rabbi Shimon’s life and the revelation of the inner soul of Judaism.

Secondly, Lag B’Omer commemorates the end of a horrible plague. The Talmud relates that it was during these weeks that a plague raged among the disciples of the great sage Rabbi Akiva, “because they did not act respectfully towards each other.” On Lag B’Omer the deaths ceased. Interestingly, the students were spiritual devotees of Rabbi Akiva who taught that “Loving thy neighbor as thyself” is a fundamental principal of Torah, yet, in the name of religious devotion, they disrespected their colleagues, bemoaning their “erroneous” interpretation of their beloved masters teachings, bringing about their very own demise.

These events are connected.

When one sees their fellow citizen, their spouse or their business partner, with an external eye, only seeing the outer layer of their existence, judgmentalism is inevitable. That’s what happened to Rabbi Akiva’s students: they got the God thing right, they experienced spirituality often, but they failed to see the esoteric beauty at the core of each human being. When we lack that basic respect, that basic understanding, that each of us is created in the image of the Divine, we can fall to the lowest rung on the ladder of human behavior.

Rabbi Shimon, was one of the only surviving students of Rabbi Akiva. He understood the importance of seeing beneath the surface, beyond the externalities. We celebrate his life on this day, because he taught us all that whether in the realm of learning, the world of interpersonal relationships or the reality of Godly experiences, there is always an inner dimension that must be seen. Had the other students of Rabbi Akiva paid more attention to their teachers’ prime message, the outcome would’ve been very different.
Let’s take a moment today to celebrate respect. We don’t need to agree with each other politically, religiously or philosophically, but we must heed the call of Rabbi Akiva, as understood rightfully by his student Rabbi Shimon, to see the best in each other and not judge fellow Montanans by their cover.

Rabbi Chaim Bruk is Executive Director of Chabad Lubavitch of Montana & Spiritual Leader of The Shul of Bozeman. He can be reached at: rabbi@jewishmontana.com